Knockdown's Fallout
by shamrockshan
Summary: aftermath of season finale
1. Chapter 1

Knockdown's Fallout

My take on what I believe will happen when Season 4 starts up again in September. Comments are always welcome...please let me know as this is my first fanfic and would like to know if I should continue with writing as I haven't done this in some time...Thanks!

"Kate!" Castle yells as he dives at Detective Beckett as he sees the glint of the snipers scope. They both hit the ground with the force of a freight train. Castle hopes he was fast enough and then he looks down and sees Kate's blood covered glove.

"Kate, Stay with me Kate... stay with me please, stay with me okay..." Castle pleads as he gently hold's Detective Beckett in his arms.

As a tear rolls down his nose, Rick Castle says the words he has waited three years to say, "Kate I love, I love you Kate..." With those words Kate Beckett's eyes slowly close.

"Lanie! Please come quick, she's been shot" Screams Castle across the gravesite. Within seconds Lanie was beside her best friend.

"We need to call an ambulance and find out where she is bleeding and stop it pronto" said Laine as she loosened Beckett's tie and started ripping open her dress uniform. She then found what she was looking for. On her right side she found the small entry wound which was now bleeding profusely.

"Give me your jacket Castle, we need to try and slow down the bleeding." Without a word, Rick took of the coat folded it into a make shift gauze and pressed it down against the wound. As he did that Kate let out a quiet moan.

"It's ok Kate, we need to try and stop the bleeding till the ambulance gets here."

"Castle you need to put more pressure on it." And she pushed harder on his hands as more blood rushed out.

In the distance they could hear the sirens. Castle thought he was never so happy in his life to hear that all familiar wail and see those flashing lights. The ambulance screeched to a halt and Detective's Ryan and Esposito ushered them to their fallen comrade.

"Alright, everyone out of the way, we need room to work." Ordered the first paramedic as he knelt down beside the wounded detective. Beckett's team stepped away from her crumpled body to allow the medics to work. Lanie, Ryan, Esposito, and Castle looked on helplessly as the medics packed her wound and lifted her onto the waiting stretcher. They rushed her back to the ambulance and loaded her into the back.

"One person can ride along, but get in quick, we need to move" the first medic said. At that moment Jim Beckett appeared.

"Jim, go with her, we will meet up with you" said Castle. Jim Beckett acknowledged and got into the waiting ambulance. As soon as the doors closed, it sped away to the hospital

As soon as the ambulance left, Castle realized that he has checked on Alexis and Mother, but as he turned around to look for them, they both appeared. He rushed up to them.

"Are you both ok?"

"Yes we are both fine, how are you? How is Detective Beckett Dad?"

"I really am not sure, I needed to get to the hospital, we need to see how she is doing."

"We will all go with you dear. Let's go" Martha said as they all hurried to their waiting car.

The trio made record time to the hospital and in the waiting room met up with Kate's father and were shortly joined by the rest of the gang.

"Have we heard anything yet?" asked Ryan, with a worried look on his face.

"She was rushed to emergency surgery but we have not had any updated yet" answered Jim Beckett as he sat down at the far side of the tiny waiting room. The others followed suit, all wanting to be there when any news was delivered. After what seemed like an eternity, a doctor emerged in the room.

"Detective Beckett's family?" she asked

"I am her father, how is she?

"She made it through surgery, and is now recovering in the intensive care unit. She had major blood loss and quite a few internal injuries but we have stopped the bleeding and repaired what we could, the rest is now up to her."

"When can we see her?"

"She is still sleeping and we can't be sure when she will awake. The best thing is to go home yourselves, get some rest, and return tomorrow when we know more."

"Thank you doctor." And with that, the doctor left the room.

"We should all do as the doctor said, we are no use to anyone if we are exhausted" said Lanie

"No, I am staying here" said Mr. Beckett.

"Me too" added Castle "Mother please take Alexis home, I need to know what is going on."

"Ok dear."

Alexis went up to her father and gave him a kiss on the cheek, "Love you Dad, and let us know as soon as you hear anything"

"I sure will" and with that Castle took a seat next to Jim Beckett and the others gathered up their things and left the room.

The duo sat in silence for what seemed like days until Mr. Beckett finally spoke.

"I feel like I am having déjà vu, first Joanna and now Katie, I don't know if I can go through this again."

"You can, you heard the doctor, she is out of surgery, that is a major step. Everything will be ok...it has to me."

"You love my daughter, don't you?"

The question made Rick stop in his tracks. "What would make you say that?"

"You risked your life, to try and save her's...for one thing."

"She's my partner, she would have done the same for me."

"Say what you want, you two defiantly have something, and hopefully you both aren't too scared or stupid to admit it and deal with it."

Castle was about to reply but was interrupted by a nurse that entered the room.

"She is starting to wake up... you both can go and sit with her till the end of visiting hours if you like." Both men jumped out of their seats and followed the nurse's lead. The both entered her room and stopped abruptly when they saw her. Detective Beckett was lying in the in the hospital bed attached to many machines and monitors. At that moment, Kate opened her eyes and Castle's heart skipped a beat. The two most important men in her life then rushed to her bedside.

"How are doing Katie?" asked her father.

"Still a little groggy."

"How are you feeling?" questioned Castle.

"Like I have been shot."

"At least I can see that you have not lost your sense of humor" answered Castle

"I am going to call everyone Katie. I will be back in a minute, ok?"

"Yes Dad, I am fine."

"I will stay with her Jim."

"I don't need a babysitter."

"No, but you do need someone to make fun of while you are in here" smirked Castle.

"Ok, I will be back in a few" and with that Jim Beckett left the room.

"Kate, tell me the truth, how are you feeling?"

"Oh, I have been better, but I guess I could be worse. Castle I do need to tell you something though."

"What is it?"

"If you do anything that stupid again I will shoot you myself" she said as she sent him one of her warning glances.

"Well it seemed like a good idea at the time."

"That doesn't matter, you could have gotten hurt and I could not handle that. You are my responsibility."

"Hey I signed that waiver remember? You don't need to protect me. We can talk about this when you are better ok?"

"Fine, but you know I won't let you off the hook that easy."

"Oh, don't I know it" He said with a smile. "So do you remember anything about what happened?"

"Well I remember you knocking me to the ground and then waking in the ambulance with my Dad and that is about it."

"That's ok; things might come back soon, once you begin healing." Castle said with a slightly disappointed face.

"Castle...can you see if I can have something to drink. My throat is so sore from the intubation."

"Sure, I will be right back" and with that Castle left on his water mission.

Once Castle left the room, Beckett lied back down on her pillows and her mind began to race. She did remember...she remembered it all, every one of those three little words. She couldn't let him know that she remembered... what would happen if she told him? Did she want to? She couldn't let him know her feelings too...or could she?


	2. Chapter 2

_A few days later..._

"Wakey, wakey Detective" smiled Castle as he popped his head into Detective Beckett's hospital room.

"Morning Castle."

"Did you sleep well?" asked Castle as he entered the room with their daily coffees.

"As good as I can in this place" she said as she took the coffee from Castle's outstretched hand.

"So you get to get discharged today. Are you excited?"

"Well I can't wait to get out of here is that is what you mean. I have been in this same room for almost a week. I feel at least a little more like myself actually being able to wear real clothes again"

"Well yes. Have you given any thought to where you are going to stay until you are fully recovered?"

"I am staying at my apartment Castle, I am not a child, I can take care of myself." As she finished her sentence a nurse walked in.

"Well Detective, that can't happen unfortunately. You need to have someone be with you for a least a week while you are on all your medications and until the wound heals more. Right now you will need help doing a lot of things. You need to leave with a responsible adult or you cant be discharged."

"Cant I sign a waiver or something? I don't have anyone I can ask to do that for me."

"Unfortunately no, it's having some help or staying here. Your call. Here are the discharge documents. Fill them out and you can go... only if you have that adult." Said the nurse and then she left the room.

"I guess that settles it then" said Castle.

"Settles what?"

"You're staying with me. You need someone to be around and if you stay with me there will always be myself, my mother or Alexis around. We have plenty of space. It will work out great."

"No Castle, I can't."

"You can and you will. You sign the forms, and I will go get the car ok? We can stop by your place and pick up what you need."

"Castle..." Beckett began to speak with a defeated look on her face.

"Not another word Detective. Start signing, I will be right back" and with that Castle dashed out of the room.

What am I going to do, thought Beckett. How am I going to live in the same home as Richard Castle?...this is not going to turn out well...will it?


	3. Chapter 3

Before she knew it they were pulling into the parking garage of Castle's loft. After reluctantly taking Castle's help to get out of the car, they rode the elevator up in silence. Castle opened the door and announced, "Welcome to your new home away from home". Beckett cautiously entered the apartment and was greeted by Alexis and Martha rushing over to see her.

"Welcome dear" said Martha. "I am so glad to see you up and about again".

"Me too!" added Alexis.

"Well thank you for putting me up for a while, I really do appreciate it."

"Not at all Kate, make yourself at home, it's our pleasure to help out any way that we can. You must be tired, how about we show you to your room?"

"Yes that would be nice."

"We set up the office for you so you need not take the stairs, plus it is close to the TV, bathroom and kitchen" explained Castle.

"Are you sure Castle? How will you get any work done while I am around?"

"Don't worry about it, I can write anywhere. You are more important now..."

Kate tried to process how she should take that answer, what did he really mean by it? They were going to need to talk... but it was a discussion she didn't think either of them would be read to have just yet.

They broke their gaze when Alexis chimed in, "it's all set up for you, come take a look."

"Ok, lead the way" As the three ladies left the entrance way, Castle took a deep breath and raked his had through his hair and wondered if this really was a good idea...


End file.
